How 3D Printing Went Mainstream — A Quick History
1980s – The Birth
3D printing began in the 1980s with Chuck Hull, who invented stereolithography (SLA) in 1984 and co-founded 3D Systems. These early machines were huge, expensive, and restricted to aerospace, automotive, and medical prototyping—costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
1990s – Industrial Niche
Through the ’90s, technologies like FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) emerged. Still, 3D printers remained industrial tools, used mainly for rapid prototyping by big corporations.
2000s – The Open-Source Spark
The game changer came in the mid-2000s with the RepRap project—an open-source initiative to build self-replicating 3D printers. Hobbyists could now build their own machines for a fraction of the cost.
Around the same time, key patents expired (like the FDM patent in 2009), opening the door for affordable consumer printers.
2010s – Consumer Boom
Companies like MakerBot (founded 2009) and Prusa brought plug-and-play printers to schools, makerspaces, and homes. Kickstarter campaigns exploded. Prices dropped from $20,000 to under $500.
Media hype called it the “next industrial revolution.” Schools added 3D printers to STEM labs. Makers printed everything from phone cases to art.
2020s – Quiet Integration
While the hype cooled, 3D printing embedded itself everywhere:
- Dentists print aligners and crowns.
- Hospitals create custom prosthetics.
- Engineers iterate parts overnight.
- Hobbyists fix broken dishwasher knobs (bless them).
It’s no longer “futuristic”—it’s just a tool, like a drill press or a laser cutter.
